Fresh on the heels of Stephen Chu’s calling coal a “great natural resource,” EPA nominee Lisa Jackson called coal “a vital resource” at her confirmation hearing.

This would seem too good to be true, considering the fact that their boss promised to bankrupt the coal industry during his presidential campaign. If Obama lives up to his promises on CO2 regulation, the coal industry will be hit the hardest hit. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are employed in this industry, and since coal supplies just under half of our electricity generation, consumers–particularly those earning the lowest incomes–will be burdened by higher prices.